Lowest in previous Census, many Jhajjar villages see an upswing in child sex ratio
ROHTAK: Once infamous for having the lowest child sex ratio at birth in the country, Haryana’s Jhajjar district has shown significant improvement in recent years and now registers a respectable sex ratio. District officials peg this to the successful implementation of the Beti
Bachao Beti Padhao programme.
Data available with the government shows that of the 250 villages in the district, 122 villages had more than 1,000 girls per 1,000 boys in the age group of 0-6 years till June this year. These villages include Bahrana, which according to the 2011 Census, had an abysmally low child sex ratio (0-6 age group) of 378.
In the 2011 Census, Jhajjar district had recorded a child sex ratio of 782.
This was the lowest in the country.
However, six years on, the district now records an average child sex ratio of 944 (at birth), as on June this year. By July end, this increased to 949.
However, in contrast to the improvement shown by these 122 villages, there are 65 villages in the district which still have a child sex ratio of 800.
Jhajjar deputy commissioner Aamna Tasneem said, “A massive campaign to control female foeticide and infanticide in these villages has been launched.”
She added that the district has so far registered 12 cases under the PNDT Act and five other cases under the MTP Act. “There has been a conviction in one case, while others are being fought strongly in the court,” she said.
“We are following guidelines of the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao scheme and are also running campaigns to educate people about girl child. The increasing child sex ratio is a direct result of our efforts,” Tasneem said.
Earlier this year, the district administration had roped in foreign models who staged a catwalk in the district with placards asking residents to save girl child.
Meanwhile, additional principal secretary to chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar, Rakesh Gupta, congratulated the district administration for the improvements in sex ratio.